By Dawn's Early Light
by affectionately-yours
Summary: Death called him. She delivered him from it's seizing hands. Ben Tallmadge/OC
1. Season 1: Death Is Calling

**_By Dawn's Early Light  
_****OC Character Credits: Talisa Ravencall  
****Rated T: Some Sexual Situations, Some Foul Language, Very Descriptive Violence  
****Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TURN  
Updates: _Every Other Week, Posted Fridays  
_**

**{{ ~ Death Is Calling**

_**New Jersey, 1776**_

Death was a docile hound, relentlessly pursuing until there was nowhere else to flee, leaving you no choice but to embrace the ending.

Benjamin Tallmadge swiped at the branches obscuring his vision as he plunged through the thick foliage. His right shoulder throbbed painfully, the wound seeping blood, staining the dark fabric of the waist length coat he wore.

Indistinct shouts of vehemence resounded through the dense woodlands, willing him to ignore the pain and press onward, or face the call of death nipping at his heels.

A nimble bullet wound was the least of his worries. He was fortunate air could even travel through his burning lungs, that all of his usable limbs were still attached. Gray clouds interspersed overhead, as if silently mourning the day. Dropping into a narrow gully, creek water dampened the soles of his worn boots, the rocky surface below thrust him off balance.

Regaining his footing, he grappled the moist dirt of the incline and propelled himself forward. Pulse thumping in his temples, his vision blurring for a tenth of a second as he fought the heavy fatigue sheathing his limbs.

An assuage of bullets pelted the trees, nearly missing their eluding target. _Him._

Holding the sage colored beret atop his head with one hand, he vaguely remembered what significance it held. That the unforeseen assault hadn't been an unintentional ambush.

It confirmed his every fear, and he aimed to settle the score. His legs felt overburdened as the damp booted soles sloshed with every step.

The resonating footfalls of the Queen's Rangers neared, angry shouts of execution permeated the humid air settling in his lungs, stalled his breathing. Unsure if he could attempt another step, he focused on the line of trees surrounding him.

_"Benjamin." _His name hissed through the eerie hollows like a hellion spirit, attempting to consume his soul. Blinking repeatedly, he prayed his vision would focus.

Death would not take him, at least not easily. And he wouldn't go quietly, not without a fight.

Enemy footsteps progressed, compounding with the hoofbeat's of an equine.

"Benjamin!" The familiar voice enveloped his ears like a beautifully composed hymn. _It couldn't be._

Rays of sunlight streamed through the gray clouds above, highlighting womanly curves atop a western saddle. The sorrel gelding reared as a series of gunshots rent the air, the smell of gunpowder potent. A firm hand reached for his arm, hauling most of his weight upward as he struggled to situate himself behind the rider.

Cushioning his shoulder with his palm, he clenched his teeth in discomfort.

"Hold on to me." A soft palmed hand guided his fingers to entwine the thickly woven belt around a slender waist. With an authoritative punt in the sides, the gelding surged forward, weaving its way through the woodlands. Vengeful bellows of the Queen's Rangers echoed in the distance.

The smell of natural earth infused his senses, decreasing his erratic heartbeat. The adrenaline high lessening with every stride of the gelding's steady gait.

He floundered for a reinforced grip on the intricately embroidered belt, fingertips suddenly numb.

Longing to sweep his hand through the dark layered tresses swaying in front of him, he concentrated on stilling his breathing, letting his hands remain twined. _How had she found him?_

Her timely arrival was all that mattered, all that made a difference. And he was grateful. Though an array of unanswered questions littered his mind, he couldn't bring his mouth to form a coherent sentence.

His vision began to fade, the heavy fatigue threading its way through his already overworked limbs. He would've fought the exhaustion, if not for the capable woman astride, her motions confident and measured. He exhaled, knowing deep down that he was safe. _Delivered out of death's seizing hands._


	2. A Raven's Call

**{{ ~ A Raven's Call**

_**Setauket, Long Island 1760**_

_The scent of lavender colored knotweed permeated the air as flocks of meddlesome fowl cried overhead. _

_Closely inspecting the wedges of wood scattered about the dense brush, Benjamin identified the soft wooded pine; the type that would season faster, but not burn as long._

_Preferring harder wood that would indeed burn for a while; he tossed the piece onto the diminutive pile in his hands. This wasn't even his chore. Samuel, his older brother had presented a silver-tongued deal, one which he had fallen for; and lost._

_It was his duty now, to gather firewood before dusk. _A few hours more of gleaning and he'd return home. _The sun was already setting in the far east, remnants of sunlight bathed the tree limbs, a slight breeze ruffled the collar of his shirt._

_The land was lush, made up of many farmlands fused together in different areas. Opaque forests separated the properties, but became easier to navigate with memory. He preferred to stay on the foot laden trails, never straying too far off path._

_From the retelling of Samuel's stories the outer banks farther south of here were nothing, if not dead. Ever since the war between the colonies started four years ago, it had escalated from a regional affair, to an international conflict, leaving frontiers poorly conserved, and families without a home._

_He never quite understood the concept of war, but could never inquire an opinion about it without being reprimanded by his preeminent father. Ben noted his father's muzzled demeanor as foolish concealment. There was talk of the war moving closer to Setauket, since British campaigns were stationed only a few miles north._

_Ben could only imagine the uprising in his small hometown, his life shattered by the forceful blows of war. The subject that he feared most were the Indians, the indigenous allies of the French._

_From talks overheard by many in town, they were some of the most ruthless men in all creation._

_The barbaric slayings, often initiated out of sheer ignorance sent a raw chill down his spine. How could men be so callous?_

_Placing another passable block of wood on the stack mounting in his hands, his chin abraded by the prickly bark; he started back in the direction he'd come._

_Dry leaves pelted the ground, falling from a dying tree above. The timber marked with a piece of red twine disclosed the short distance from his home._

_Bramble rustled behind him, the resounding of sticks being broken under heavy weight set him on edge._

_Struggling to peer over the stack of wood in his hands, he could barely make out the shadow of a lone figure; muscles highlighted by the sun's rays streaming through the parted leaves overhead._

_The birds ceased in their song, the wind curtailed as an unsettling hush enveloped the forest._

_Ben's breathing stalled, his heart rate accelerated, an alarming amount of dread coursed through him, numbing his toes._

_Just as he turned to flee, a warrior's cry resonated through the woodlands, bouncing off the surrounding trees._

_Dropping the gathered wood in his hands, Ben fled; bare feet pounding the moist dirt beneath him._

_A hand braced around his neck sent him spiraling backward, the ground bearing most of his weight. Using the brunt of his heels, he scrambled away; distancing himself from the person standing over him._

_Recognition dawned as a hearty laugh surfaced from a familiar face. The smug grin of his older brother spurred his anger. Samuel pressed his foot into Ben's chest; sprawling him on his backside again._

_"Tsk, tsk, little brother. I could've scalped you." Samuel interlocked his arms across a broad chest, his shoulder's flexing as another laugh surfaced. He was such an utter arse. And had been for many a year, being the oldest by three at nineteen._

_Ben kept silent, closing his eyes as he inhaled, and exhaled calmly; trying to regain his bearings after the sudden scare._

_Samuel gathered a few misplaced pieces of wood in his hands. "You're due back in an hour, so you better start gathering hardwood, or you'll be stuck stoking the fire tonight too."  
_

_"Why don't I just do all your chores," Benjamin ventured, brushing a few strands of grass off his shirt._

_"Do you really believe I'd make you do everything?" Samuel pestered, pausing to brush a hand over his sweaty neck. "I love receiving praise from mother on your behalf, it makes me feel much more needed, you know."_

_Lifting his weight off the ground Ben delivered a well warranted shove to his brother's chest, the nudge never shifted Samuel an inch._

_"Well take all you can, because this is the last time I'm falling for one of your underhanded ploys again." Ben stated, righting the sleeve of his worn cotton shirt._

_"If you were a girl, I'd call you naive, Benjamin." Samuel sighed dolefully. Tapping the wood stacked underneath his arm, he departed in the direction Ben was heading. "It's about time I return home, mother will be waiting."_

_Ben flexed his fingers at his sides, the melodious tone of Samuel's whistle echoed throughout the empty hollows._

* * *

_The birds resumed their chirping as he threaded his way through the overgrowth, searching for lone pieces of hardwood. Fearing his brother's torment had severely wounded his pride._

_He should have been prepared for it, knowing Samuel well enough to harass him. And he had every intention of evening the score. It wouldn't be the right thing to do, but they were brothers. It was _what_ they did._

_Pulling a fragment of bark off a nearby tree, Benjamin fiddled with the scrap, before tossing it away. A cluster of birds shrouded him, obscuring his vision, their feet scraping the sides of his face, his jawline._

_Raising his hands in the air, he deflected the blows to his head. Shifting his feet, the ground gave way beneath him. Down he fell, ineffectively trying to cease the spiral along the way._

_His knee connected with a sharp rock, sending a bolt of pain through his leg. As his body rolled down the ravine; the earth coiled in front of his eyes, causing a wave of dizziness to overwhelm him._

_Grasping for any sort of leverage, moist dirt coated his fingers, embedded underneath his nails._

_Placing his hands into the chilled stream where he landed, he watched the water bypass him; pooling through his fingers and around his legs. __His backside dampened, the fabric of his shirt absorbed the frigid liquid, coursing down his neck an temples._

_A cut on the inside of his palm oozed blood, drops of crimson tainted the water; whisked away by the unsteady currents. __Ben glanced toward the ravine, a few feathers from the cursed birds floated around him._

_Muttering under his breath, he hoisted his weight out of the water. Turning his head, his breath caught in his throat. A tawny feminine physique outlined in buckskin material crouched low on the stream's edge, apparently trying to remain unseen.  
_

_Charcoal colored hair ensnared in the contorted limbs of a leafless bush, while frightened hazel eyes framed by delicate lashes stared back at him. Her throat contracted as she swallowed sharply, analyzing every nuance of his face._

_Placing his hands out in front of him, Ben hesitantly took a step forward. Her eyes widened in alarm, the branches refraining her attempts at fleeing._

_Grasping one of her wrists, he decided a more tactful approach was in order. A whimper escaped her lips, as she tried releasing the restraint on her arm; before becoming pliant._

_Extracting the silky strands from the gnarled limbs, he noticed a lone tear stream down her face. He couldn't do anything about her fear of him, though he longed to console her._

_"There, that should do it." He whispered, loosening his grip on her arm. Connecting with watchful eyes, he noted the intricate tinges of orange and light brown circling the iris. Features too fair, and far too exotic for any woman than a clear native; riveted him._

_Engrossed in her captivating features he missed the slight movement of her arm in his peripheral vision._

_A light sting pelted his cheek, the result of a thorough slap. Turning his head away, Ben cushioned the side of his jaw where she'd struck him._

_Glancing toward the stream's bank, his toes sinking into the soggy earth; he noted the vacant space beside him. Where had she run off to?_

_Imprints of bare toes disappeared behind a thicket, no signs of movement alluded him to her whereabouts. Darkness crept over the woodlands, as the remaining sunlight faded behind the mountains in the far distance._

_The resounding of a bell's chime jarred him out of his search. It was supper time, and he was due back home._

_Passing a glance over his shoulder, he examined the forest with a sharp eye, nothing suggesting another inhabitant other than wildlife._

_Heaving his weight up the ravine, a piercing call of a raven taunted him fused with the trickling water from the stream below._

* * *

**_Comments Corner_**

_All feedback is greatly appreciated from members and guests alike!_


	3. Washington's Orders

_Author's Note: So I originally had this whole chapter pretty much mapped out and halfway written. Then I made the mistake of cleaning out my document manager and accidentally deleted it. I'm amazing, am I not?_

_The loss of the first few paragraphs really messed with my muse, so it took awhile for me to get back to writing it._

_That being said, I have every intention of continuing and finishing this fanfiction, but please bare with me on updates._

_A little note to my reviewers: You all are absolutely amazing! Keep reviewing! It encourages me to keep writing._

* * *

**{{ ~ Washington's Orders**

_Angry__ shouts echoed in his subconscious, the smell of damp earth teased his senses._

_Pulse racing uncontrollably he wove his way through the underbrush, not daring a glance backward. The material of the long wool trench coat scored his skin, but he ignored the discomfort. A clearing up ahead was his only source of escape where the thick foliage gave way to a flowing river. _

_Perhaps he could scale the embankment and wade across before they reached the river's edge. He could easily hide within the dense forest once he reached the other side until nightfall. That would ensure safe travel on foot, leading away from the enemy. It was the only strategy his fatigued mind could conjure up, a strategy his life depended on._

_Lifting his body over downed tree limbs in his path, he felt the subtle shift in balance as his feet fell out from under him. _

_Falling to his knees, Benjamin studied the ground, the dried dirt under his fingernails. _

_A piercing ring blocked his hearing, caused a groan to well within his chest. He held his breath, tried to lift his body._

_Dried leaves crunched as two booted feet obscured his vision from freedom. Fear welled in his gut, raw chills bounded down his spine._

_"Did ye think you could get away, boy?" That voice. The voice that condemned his fate._

_He spared a glance upward, his eyes straining to pick up the scruff of a beard, a feather tucked in a green beret._

_"I admire your will, boy. But no one escapes the Queen's Rangers."_

_Benjamin awoke with a start, his chest heaving._

_Red coals crackled within a stone hearth, the warmth suffocating to his rapidly expanding lungs. Subtle flames illuminated worn hardwood floors, flickered across gray stone walls. The smell of fresh biscuits made his stomach roil as he fought the urge to double over and empty his stomach. _

_What had happened? Where was he? His mind struggled to form a coherent thought, conjure a memory. _

_Sweat trickled down his temples as he inhaled sharply, calloused palms gripping the wooden surface that supported him. Fear slid down his spine as his mind wandered. _

_"You're awake." A soft voice quelled the sudden anxiety rising in his chest. He glanced upward, finding a pair of warm brown eyes studying him, concerned._

_He blinked in an effort to clear his vision completely, finding that she wasn't an illusion configured by his weary mind. In the light of the fireplace he could scarcely piece together her appearance. Brown deerskin material highlighted her tawny frame, raven black hair pulled back into a heavy braid accented her strong cheekbones, the firm outset of her shoulders. How long had it truly been since he'd laid eyes upon her?_

_"Tali?" The words came out in an equally soft croak. Where had she come from? How had she..._

_Everything came flooding back to him all at once, making his head spin. Clenching his teeth, Benjamin fought off an unforeseen bout of pain._

_A chilled hand settled across his damp forehead, slid into his soaked hair. The change in temperature emitted a shiver that caused his body to tense. Unconscious of the sudden movement, he clasped her hand, entwined his fingers with hers atop his head. _

_"I stopped the bleeding," she started, her voice floating over him like warm honey. "But I was afraid I'd end up with an injury equal to yours if I kept prodding." _

_He slowly peeled open his eyes at her words, absorbed every beautiful nuance of her face, noted the slight bruise along her cheek. Her appearance hadn't changed much, but there was something different about her eyes, the way they spoke volumes without words actually gracing her lips._

_Letting her fingers glide from his hair, she idly slid them along the skin of his forearm."You'd be surprised all you say and do in your sleep."_

_Cupping the side of her face, he slid his thumb lightly along the discoloration below her eye. "Please forgive me."_

_Removing his hand away from the intimate contact, she interlaced his hand with her own, absently fiddling with a few stray strands near her hairline that had escaped the confines of her braid. "No need to apologize, but it is you who should forgive me for not coming to your aid sooner. I've been tracking your platoon for weeks, and when I finally found you...it was nearly too late."_

_Her words gave him pause. "You were tracking us?"_

_She nodded, lightly prodded her lower lip._

_He felt his brows furrow in confusion. Sliding his body across the polished surface of the table he sat upon, he noted the bowl of water and torn rags coated in blood at one end. It seemed she'd appeared right when he'd needed her most._

_He eyed the stitched laceration along his upper shoulder, the pain dulling to an annoying throb._

_Feeling his mind finally clear of cobwebs, Benjamin leaned forward. "On who's orders?"_

_Swallowing sharply, she turned her back to him, remaining silent._

_He opened his mouth to ask again, but the words remained twined in his parched throat._

_"Ms. Ravencall," A feminine voice intruded, "the general has arrived." Standing in the doorway, the woman who'd spoken narrowed her eyes in noticeable abhorrence before she excused herself from the room._

_Benjamin glanced down at his bare torso, realizing why the woman's look had been pointedly loathing._

_Placing a long stretch of cloth along his shoulder, Talisa wrapped the bandage securely before pinning it in place. She let her fingers lightly skim his chest, keeping her eyes cast downward as she spoke. "Tell General Scott all that has transpired."_

_Swallowing again, she finally met his eyes, "About the Queen's Rangers, about everything."_

_Walking away, she disappeared around the corner, her braid lightly swinging._

* * *

_A dwindling fire burned in the hearth, no longer supplying enough warmth, a cold chill replaced the humid air. He was thankful. He could no longer withstand the blistering temperature. Though his worry increased, knowing that infection could settle in if he these chills continued to wrack his body. _

_His bare feet clunked on the old wooden floorboards as he approached the table, took a seat. His eyes connected with the in depth perusal of General Charles Scott's speculative gaze._

_After a length of of time, Benjamin looked up from the bowl of nuts that sat between them, and moistened his lips. _

_"They were waiting for us, sir." Benjamin started, "They knew where we would be."_

_General Scott's lips flattened in certainty."They couldn't have known."_

_Benjamin felt his anger rise an inch. This wasn't something he could ignore any longer. Drawing his shoulders together, he mustered as much conviction into his words as he could fathom, expelling out each word. "They were waiting." _

_"How?" Scott's brows furrowed in confusion, but skepticism still lingered in his eyes. _

_"These were not torrey militia, or regulars, they were Queen's Rangers." Benjamin inhaled sharply in an effort to reach behind his back and retrieve the green beret tucked into the waistband of his uniform pants. Bestowing the garment on the table before him, he watched the general's face distort and conform to the truth they could no longer ignore._

_"Sir Robert Rogers?" General Scott asked, his words whispered on an apprehensive note. Fiddling with his hands, he clasped them together and shook his head in what could be described as pity. Pity for what? Pity for lives of the men lost to another one of British's dead fall's? _

_Benjamin ground his teeth as General Scott brushed the beret away out of sight. "It was luck then. It was bad luck you ran into." _

_"Luck?" Benjamin asked incredulously. Someone had somehow cast about information of the platoon's advancement. This was no stroke of bad luck. _

_"Sir, luck had nothing to do with this. We both know that. The British, they use Rogers and his mercenaries like a bear trap, and they knew precisely where to set him. This was an ambush planned in advance."_

* * *

_Talisa paused when she heard Benjamin's voice rising a decibel. Adding more flour to the biscuit mixture, her eyes lingered on the entryway to the sitting room where the conversation brimmed._

_She couldn't see either man from her place in the kitchen, but she could imagine the General's unconvinced posture and Benjamin's unshakable challenge. _

_She could only hope that General Scott would see the truth beyond Benjamin's words. The things he voiced, the things he illustrated with vitality, rang true._

_The attack on Ben's platoon, had been an ambush. The lives of those lost was an abrupt uppercut to the jaw, and it exposed the startling truth. There was an underlying snake, much less a spy in the midst. _

_Grasping the spoon in her hand, she picked up the bowl and resumed stirring. The room had grown quiet, suddenly still. _

_Walking over to the wall that separated the sitting room from the kitchen, she tried to hone in on the exchange as much as she could. _

_"Are you saying there is a breach within our ranks?" General Scott asked. _

_Another long bout of silence. _

_Then Benjamin's voice filled the air thick with opposition. __"I'm saying that they have spies everywhere, sir. And that we need the same."_

_Leaning her back against the stone wall, Talisa let her head fall back in surprise. We need the same. Her heart lept at the words uttered in such assurance._

_When had Ben become such a man of resistance? Always one to be told his place, in their years apart he had certainly tested the waters of authority. _

_He also happened to be was exactly what Washington was looking for. The kind of man who would change the outlook of this godforsaken war. All she had to accomplish was getting others to accept that they needed to even the score. The more people, the more men of rank they had believing in this crusade would make matters easier. But if they disapproved, or became foolish to what was set before their very eyes, they would perish like lambs to the slaughter. They would cower to the British, and be governed under King George's gratuitous sovereignty._

_She aimed the change that foreseeable outcome. _

_The sudden thud of feet rising captured her focus, stilled her thoughts._

_"See to you shoulder." The General voiced, his tone conveying that the conversation was very much over. "After you've recovered, I'll assign a new man, new horses."_

_"General, please." Benjamin implored. "These scouting runs, they're suicide."_

_"We have discussed this Captain Tallmadge." General Scott halted Benjamin's words, cutting them down with a sharp note. "I will not waste money on informers."_

_Try again, Benjamin, Talisa silently pleaded. General Scott couldn't be that prideful of a man not to clearly see reason. They need a spy. And they needed one promptly. _

_"I agree, sir." Benjamin entreated, his footfalls echoed on the floorboards. "All I would need from you is one man, to serve as a courier between myself and a friend in New York. If we can establish a-"_

_"New York?" If it hadn't been such a serious subject of conversation, General Scott's scoff would've counted as undeniable laughter. "After Washington has burned it to the ground upon our retreat?"_

_Talisa exhaled slowly. _

_She could imagine the urge General Scott had to refrain from gripping the young officer by the shoulders in an effort to convince him otherwise, but his words were dubious enough. "Benjamin...we have no friends in New York."_


	4. The Recruiter

_I hope you enjoyed Washington's Orders!_

_I also hope you're enjoying my OC so far. She has a lot of secrets that need to be revealed about her background and the years she's spent apart from Benjamin but those questions will all be answered in time. _

_Please enjoy The Recruiter._

_I love replying to you guys so make sure to leave a little something, even if you're just expressing how much you love it or hate it._

_\- affectionately-yours_

* * *

**{{ - The Recruiter**

_Hearty laughter flooded the dining room, spilled onto the landing where chilly air crept up the steps and lingered in the doorway. Wrapping her arms around her upper body, Talisa rubbed her forearms in an effort to keep warm. _

_After preparing dinner, she'd retreated to the back porch, hoping to find a fraction of solitude. A moment to word the letter she would pen to Washington. How could one word such a thing when guilt and vexation made her hands shake every time she picked up a pencil, the same emotions waged inside her, had her crumbling the parchment every time she reread it. _

_It was bitterly cold outside, no doubt there would be frost on the ground in the early morning when the men saddled their horses. Another bout of laughter filled the air, and she expelled a breath, watching the heavy stream turn into a cloudy puff. _

_No matter the weather, she preferred to stay out of earshot of General Scott's crude humor as he described his experiences of battle to the rest of the household's inquisitive stares. _

_She'd suffered enough of his prejudice scrutiny when she'd entered the dining room to bestow a basket of fresh biscuits on the table. His eyes had flashed with a certain amount of wonder and abhorrence. She read the questions in his eyes, and figured if she were so much of a burden she'd occupy her time elsewhere. _

_After all this time there were still people out there set in their ways, hesitant of her kind. _

_But she couldn't afford to dwell on that, there were other pressing matters at hand. She exhaled silently. Like the letter. Like Sir Robert Rogers._

_Her heart twisted in fear. How would she forewarn Washington of the Queen's Rangers escalation? That there would be similar downfalls if something wasn't done about the constant ambushes. Her heart couldn't take anymore losses. Washington had already been correct in his right to suspect that a traitor lingered among them. _

_And she knew for a fact, that as long as that person meddled no one would be safe. _

_A horses' soft nicker caught her ear as she peered into the night, seeking the source of the sound illuminated by a sliver of full moonlight. A shed made out of brittle wood stood off to the right of the main outer buildings, to the left a hitching post where two horses stood poised, unsaddled._

_Her stomach clenched, revealing it's emptiness. __If there were any leftovers from the meal, she would gather as much as she could before settling down for the night and composing that letter._

_Shame roiled in the empty pit of her stomach. How would she word the fact that she'd failed. She'd failed, and now all the blood of those men were on her hands. There was no place to cast blame but on the backs of her own shoulders. _

_Perhaps the courier had been slow with the news of the oncoming ambush. Prodding her lower lip, she remembered how she'd navigated the woodlands alone, tracking the platoon astride, until the unforeseen storm had soften the ground, making it merely impossible to more forward. What if she hadn't stopped. What if she'd pressed on. Would it have changed anything? _

_So many thoughts welled inside her mind, but none of them could cease her from blaming herself. Washington had secured her safety, and now it was her duty to repay him. Which drew her thoughts back to Robert Rogers. If he ever caught wind that she was in the area, her life would be in turmoil. After all these months, he surely hadn't forgotten the betrayal she'd granted his rebel army. And she hadn't been able to sleep a night peacefully since then. Washington promised her safety, but could do nothing when she was out on her own. _

_She had no intentions of returning to the safe haven he'd created until she fulfilled her mission. She had only one purpose. Recruit a spy. _

_And she couldn't very well do that if she stayed here. She had to find another source if Benjamin fell through. But how could one explain to him such a thing? She would have to figure out a way, the war couldn't go on like this._

_By now, she figured she should be used to the thought of war. She'd suffered through the loss of her entire tribe during the war between Great Britain and France, nearly seventeen years ago. The British were supposed to be their allies and now they were nothing but vile dogs. _

_They'd taken everything from her. Pressing a hand against her throat, she fought the grief that forged it's way into her heart yet again, caused tears to well. _

_Swallowing the emotions, she threaded her fingers along the weather beaten railing outlining the porch, listened to the cacophony of nightlife echoing all around. _

_"I knew I'd find you."_

_The deep timbre startled her. She turned to see Benjamin's form filling the entryway. She felt a smile crease the edges of her mouth as he joined the space beside her._

_Smelling of fresh soap and a stimulating musk that was all his own, she regarded him openly. "I guess that puts an end to your little adventure."_

_Pushing away from the railing, she stepped closer to him. "You've found me."_

_He eyed her overtly as if taking in every detail of her attire. His blatant perusal caused her to glance downward. A feeling of self consciousness assaulted her, an emotion she didn't encounter quite often. _

_But with Benjamin should could never keep her emotions concealed, this much she knew as the truth. _

_He cleared his throat as he realized her state of uneasiness. _

_"Did you need something, Benjamin?" she asked, tipping her head back to look at him again. She studied the pale blueness of his eyes, the way his lips quirked in an awkward smile. _

_"I haven't laid eyes upon you for so long, I have suddenly lost all thought of conversation, and of question."_

_Eyeing something in the distance, anything to get her sight off the slight curve of his broad shoulders beneath his crisp white linen shirt, she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "I feel the same way as you. I have no idea where to start, or what to say." _

_Moistening her lips, she inhaled. __"How is your arm?" _

_He touched the place where she'd bandaged him, "It feels fine for now." _

_Absently touching a hand to his forehead, she smoothed it along his temples. "You don't appear to have a fever. All good signs."_

_Removing her hand she returned it to the railing, not knowing what to make of the tingles running up and down her skin. __"Do you dislike the company of the other officers?" she asked softly. _

_"They're sharing a bottle of brandy." Benjamin shifted his weight, crossed his arms. "And seeing that we'll be heading out early tomorrow morning, I wish for my mind to be clear."_

_Her brows furrowed in concern. __"Tomorrow morning?"_

_"Do you advise against it?" he asked, __"Because of my arm?"_

_Her window for seeking Washington's cause had just flown into the night air. She'd run out of time already, and would probably never muster the courage to ask the question she so desperately wanted to ask again. Disappointment gripped her, nearly wrested all the air from her lungs. _

_Shaking her head, she steeled herself. "Uh. No, no. I will be sure to check it tomorrow morning before you depart."_

_She would have to fetch some bandages from Mrs. Hamilton's sewing box, and be sure to pack in heavy layers in case he found himself unable to change the dressing. Glancing upward, she noted the smell of impending rain. She would also have to prepare for the weather too it seemed. _

_"Where are you heading?" The question forged its way out before she could rein it back. _

_"We are heading to Fort Lee." _

_"Fort Lee." She bit her lip in order to keep the number of growing questions inside. _

_"General Scott's orders." Benjamin concluded, shifting his shoulders. _

_Silence ensued for a measure of minutes before she spoke again. __"I heard how he took the news."_

_Benjamin visibly tensed, his entire form remained rigid, much like his resolve, uncompromising. "Then you know I've gotten nowhere."_

_His words edged out, blatant loathing scoring each word. "The Queen's Rangers was an ambush upon my men. No one knew of our whereabouts, and we never stopped in any towns before the attack. Even then, no one could've sent word except on foot. We would've seen them."_

_Then he voiced the thought that had been swirling around in her mind all night. "There are traitors among us."_

_Wetting her lips, she flexed her hands, "I know."_

_"You do?"_

_Turning away when she noticed the confusion in his gaze, he guided her eyes back to his with a nimble finger under her chin. "What part do you play in this, Tali? How did you know where my men were?"_

_She closed her eyes, could hear her heart beating erratically. Expelling a breath, she released the truth. "Because I am a special courier for Washington."_

_"What?" His voice held a high note of disbelief. _

_Her chin wobbled as she continued. "I run letters, and settle arrangements to and through Washington." _

_Grasping her forearms, he ushered her to one of the darker corners of the porch. The sound of clinking glasses and the officer's laughter became a muffled disarray. _

_"You work for Washington?" He grated out on a harsh breath._

_Shaking her head absently, she struggled with how much to tell him, and how much to keep hidden. __"I had no way of knowing where your platoon was or where the Queen's Rangers planned to attack if I hadn't received word from Washington first."_

_Clasping her shoulders, he held her gaze, unflinching. "Why would you tie yourself to the patriot cause?" _

_She blinked away the wetness that pooled along her eyes. He knew why. She saw no need to explain herself._

_Benjamin sighed as recognition flared in her eyes. "Oh, Tali."_

_She had justifiable means, it wasn't something she'd been forced into. She needed him to understand that, swallowing the lump in her throat, she loathed the way her voice shook. "The British are dogs that need caged, and I can't do that by sitting and doing nothing."_

_Raising her head a few inches, she set her jaw. "Besides I believe we both cannot pass judgement for our own choices."_

_His father had been a key part in quelling the sometimes chauvinistic side of both his sons, but in the end the loyalist blood had won. And here he stood in front of her, a polished officer. _

_"We believe in the same thing, Benjamin." she conveyed. "There are traitors among us, and the ambush was just the threshold we needed to support that fact."_

_"We need spies."_ _Clutching his wrists, she shook with the utter need to convince him._

_He released her abruptly, turned away from her. For a moment, fear entwined her shaking limbs. In her dire need to convince him, had she lost him?_

_Benjamin sighed, his breath bestowed a cloudy puff of a air as the night became downright frigid. "I know that. And I've already come up with a plan to recruit one."_

_Her brows furrowed in question."Where?"_

_"In New York."_

_If she weren't already perturbed, she would've been unsettled by his answer. "In New York? But General Scott said-"_

_He was quick to disprove her unfinished outlook. "General Scott isn't aware of my connections to New York, and I little place called Setauket."_

_Setauket? Long Island. She hadn't thought of the place in years. _

_Benjamin turned toward her, pinning her with a look that jolted her heart rate. She knew just the person he had in mind. _

_"Woodhull." They announced in whispered unison. _


End file.
